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A financial planner's significant other can play a huge role in his or her success on the job, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal of Commonwealth Financial Network. For principals, that means making sure that employees' partners are as excited about their career goals as they are.

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Staying involved with your work as you move toward retirement, either by keeping select clients or shifting duties, can bring benefits for you and your firm, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal of practice management for Commonwealth Financial Network. But staying on board means staying on top of your game, she writes, so it's important to approach a new role with clear expectations.

Retirement can bring emotional challenges stemming from the loss of things such as a sense of purpose, social interaction, time-management structure and status. Clients should think through these issues as they approach retirement, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal of practice management for Commonwealth Financial Network. "Be a good role model by creating your own retirement vision and plan for a fulfilling next chapter of life," she writes.

Advisers who volunteer their time to help others through philanthropic organizations are often the busiest, but they still make time, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal of practice management at Commonwealth Financial Network. "Many of us could probably afford to press the pause button on our businesses and think about what we are doing to give back," she writes.

Going on vacation and leaving the stress of work behind to accomplish self-renewal is a skill, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal of practice management for Commonwealth Financial Network. Many busy professionals find it difficult to let go even while away from work. But, Youngwirth writes, "it's simple logic that you can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself."

No one's found the "secret sauce" to success in the planning industry, but there are some common trends, writes Joni Youngwirth, managing principal for practice management at Commonwealth Financial Network. High producers tend to be older and work on a fee-based model. Most important, successful planners have the drive to do what it takes to expand their business, she wrote.